Watercress and Avocado Salad with Basil Vinaigrette

This recipe was a hit last night. The bell peppers on the grill were fabulous as well. The bean burger wasn't such a hit though. :( The search for a good non-meat "burger"continues.....

Here is the recipe for the salad. I hope you enjoy.

2 bunches fresh watercress, hand shredded

1/2 medium red onion, cut into very thin half-moon slices

1/3 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels, blanched for 30 seconds

1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

Basil Vinaigrette:

4 Tbsp EVOO

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

1/2 tsp brown rice syrup (you could use a different sweetener if you want)

1/2 tsp sea salt

Generous pinch cracked black pepper

1/4 cup finely shredded fresh basil leaves

2 oranges, peeled and segmented

Combine watercress, red onion and corn in a bowl. Lay avocado slices on a plate and drizzle with lemon juice to preserve color. (I skipped this part).

Make vinaigrette: Whisk together all ingredients in a small bowl until emulsified. (Could it be any simpler?)

To serve: Add vinaigrette to salad and toss to coat. Add avocados and orange segments on top of individual salads and serve. (Serves 4)

Enjoy!

**So perhaps you are wondering what Brown Rice Syrup is and where you find it and why use would want to use it. Well, here's the scoop. First, it can easily be found in the health food department of your local grocery store.

Brown Rice Syrup is a alternative to other sweeteners, and can be used in place of sugar, honey, maple syrup, molasses, corn syrup or any of those artificial sweeteners on the market.

Why would you want to use brown rice syrup instead of those mentioned above? First of all, it is natural and second of all, it is a complex carbohydrate rather than a simple sugar. Why does it matter if it's complex carbohydrate? It's all about the Glycemic Index (GI), which is all about what affect a food has on your blood sugars. Simple sugars have a higher GI and cause blood sugars to spike and then crash - not a good thing. On the other hand, complex carbohydrates are released slowly into the blood stream, so you don't have the "spike and crash" affect.

For more information about this check out this website: http://www.fitsugar.com/Glycemic-Index-Where-Do-Sweeteners-Fall-3031565

Until next time....Eat well, Live well, Be kind.